Cambria Collective
Discover more about your upcoming Cambria Collective shipment.
A Note from Jill
Dear Cambria Collective Members,
Autumn signals the harvest and, with it, an undeniably magical time on California’s Central Coast. Naturally, we’ve chosen a selection of elegant, food-friendly wines for your fall shipment. They’re drinking beautifully now and are ready to grace your gatherings as you cook, celebrate, and savor the season’s bounty.
For fall, we’re sharing two white wines that capture the freshness of the coast. The 2025 Tepusquet Viognier spent 10 months in neutral oak, gaining complexity and texture while preserving its saline character, redolent of a margarita salt rim.
The 2022 West Point Chardonnay reflects a lighter, cooler year through exceptional brightness, freshness, and savory complexity. Barrel fermentation lends refined texture, while notes of pear and cinnamon make it a natural choice for your Thanksgiving table.
The two Pinot Noirs in your shipment offer a fascinating study in contrast: one vibrant and transparent, the other rich and aromatic. The 2023 Element Pinot Noir was crafted in neutral oak, allowing its Clone 2A to shine. Inviting notes of apple, cranberry, and lingering spice meet bright acidity, giving the wine a lively, food-friendly profile. You’ll find it featured in the Prime Spice and Cambria Element Pinot Noir Braised Beef Stew recipe below—an invitation to pour a glass and enjoy as the dish simmers.
The 2020 Mesa Terrace Pinot Noir, by contrast, was fermented entirely in new oak, showcasing a different expression of the same vineyard. A beautiful bouquet of brambly fruit unfolds with flavors of raspberry and cherry, carried through a smooth, polished finish.
Thank you for being part of the Cambria Collective. We hope these wines bring a little of our corner of the Central Coast to your table, wherever and however you gather this fall.
Cheers,
Jill Russell, Winemaker
your upcoming club wines
The Prime Spice and Cambria Element Pinot Noir Braised Beef Stew
Ingredients
Serves 6-8
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, for frying
• ½ cup all-purpose flour, for coating the beef
• 2 tablespoons Prime Spice The Original
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 pounds top sirloin, cut into 2-inch cubes
• 3 medium onions, quartered
• 4 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
• 6 medium potatoes, peeled, cut into 2-inch slices
• 6 carrots, peeled, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 3 stalks celery, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 4 cups beef stock (or broth)
• 2 cups Element Pinot Noir
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• ¼ cup cold water
• 2 tablespoons butter (optional)
Directions
1. Coat the beef.
In a resealable bag, combine the flour, 2 tablespoons Prime Spice, salt, and pepper. Add the beef and shake until lightly and evenly coated.
2. Brown the beef.
Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches, about 2 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
3. Cook the onions and garlic.
Lower heat to medium. Add the onions and cook until golden, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the fresh garlic and cook for about 45 seconds.
4. Add the beef and vegetables.
Return the beef to the pot. Add potatoes, carrots, celery, beef stock, and Element Pinot Noir. Stir and bring to a boil.
5. Braise.
Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally. If using tougher stew meat, cook closer to 2½–3 hours, until tender.
6. Thicken with cornstarch.
About 20–30 minutes before serving, whisk 3 tablespoons cornstarch with ¼ cup cold water until completely smooth. Slowly stir it into the simmering stew.
7. Finish.
Add the butter (optional). Continue simmering for about 5–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the broth becomes glossy and thick.
